The watered-down climate change text sparked angry reactions among delegates. Poorer nations denounced it as a death warrant. Sudan said the declaration, code-named L9, would incinerate Africa and he compared it to the Holocaust:

“L9 asks Africa to sign a suicide pact,” said Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping. “It is a solution based on the values which, in our opinion, channelled six million people in Europe to the (Nazi) furnaces.”

That comparison outraged many. Canada said it was offensive; Spain said it was inappropriate. Britain said the summit faced a simple choice:

“We have a choice before us, to accept this document and go forward and start the money flowing and start implementing the decisions under it,” said Environment Minister Ed Miliband. “Then we face the choice that Ambassador Lumumba offers us: it is a choice of disgusting comparisons to the Holocaust which should offend people from across this conference from whatever background they come. And frankly, if is a choice of wrecking this conference.”